66
G I V I N G T H E E X E R C I S E
O N H E L L
Theological and pastoral considerations
By B R I A N G R O G A N
Introduction
T
H E to b e a r on the fifth exercise of the First W e e k in a m a n n e r BRIEF given me was to b r i n g the resources o f theology which w o u l d be of help to r e t r e a t - g i v e r s who find the m - selves baffled by the questions: Should I give this exercise today? A n d if so, how c a n I present it in a helpful m a n n e r ?T h e task has t a k e n the following shape: an indication of the practice of givers o f the Exercises in r e g a r d to hell; m y o w n a p p r o a c h a n d presuppositions; some central p r o b l e m s in exercitants; a b r i e f history of the doctrine, followed by an outline of the o r t h o d o x c o n t e m p o r a r y u n d e r s t a n d i n g O f it. S o m e alternative speculations are noted, after which I t u r n to the exercise itself a n d its problems, and finally give suggestions on ways in which it might fruitfully be given. 1
T h e article is long b e c a u s e the topic is so complex: to avoid u n a c c e p t a b l e length, m u c h m a t t e r has b e e n relegated to the notes, and references given to enable the r e a d e r to explore alone the r o a d which leads to and from hell.
1. The practice of retreat-givers
' I ' d seldom give the exercise on hell in a short retreat, a n d seldom omit it in the full Exercises'.
' N o , I d o n ' t give the text: it seems to be tess t h a n helpful. All I risk is some o f the parables a b o u t hell, such as Dives a n d L a z a r u s or the Last J u d g m e n t in M a t t h e w 25. I suppose I ' m waiting for s o m e t h i n g to e m e r g e in catholic t h o u g h t a b o u t h e l l - at p r e s e n t it d o e s n ' t serve the function Ignatius intended. R a t h e r , it disconcerts exerci- tants and calls o t h e r truths, such as the u n c o n d i t i o n a l love of G o d for t h e m , into q u e s t i o n ' .
' I try to identify those exercitants - - a n d they can b e h a r d t o find - - who seem to b e able to take this exercise with profit. I m e a n persons who are well b a l a n c e d a n d open, who h a v e a basically s o u n d
G I V I N G T H E E X E R C I S E O N H E L L 67 trust in G o d ' s love for t h e m , w h o h a v e c o m e to a good g r a s p o f the reality of sin a n d r e p e n t a n c e , a n d w h o c a n h e a r this exercise as the w a r n i n g cry o f a loving F a t h e r to his son or d a u g h t e r w h o is in d a n g e r of f o r g e t t i n g the r e l a t i o n s h i p which alone gives m e a n i n g to his or h e r e x i s t e n c e ' .
T h u s c o m m e n t e d three c o n t e m p o r a r y givers of the Exercises: c o n t r a s t a s p o k e s m a n for a p r e v i o u s g e n e r a t i o n :
When a person is letting himself go from one mortal sin to another, the meditation should be directed to frighten him, waving as it were a red light in his way . . . . It is a great help to (a youth) once for all to fill him with a salutary fear of hell. Persons at that time positively enjoy this meditation, forcibly put: they will avow, 'This is the only meditation that does me any g o o d . . . ' .
Possibly there may be cases in which it is well to omit from the 2
retreat the meditation on hell: I have not met with any.
A final c o m m e n t i l l u m i n a t e s a d i m conviction of m y own. ' T h e exercise on hell? I t ' s for those on the h o n o u r s course! T h e r e are m a n y levels o f a p p r e c i a t i o n of the graces of the First W e e k , a n d e x e r c i t a n t s w h o o m i t the fifth exercise c e r t a i n l y gain the graces t h r o u g h the o t h e r exercises, b u t m y e x p e r i e n c e is t h a t those w h o can take the exercise on hell e n t e r m o r e d e e p l y into the m y s t e r y o f their salvation a n d are m o r e p r o f o u n d l y c h a n g e d . I ' m r e m i n d e d of the p a r a b l e of the sower; s o m e thirty, s o m e sixty . . . . A n d w h e n y o u recall the history of christian spirituality, y o u see that n o n e of the s a i n t s a v o i d e d this issue of hell; they w e r e d e e p l y affected b y it.
P e r h a p s sanctity lies t h a t w a y ? '
2. My approach and presuppositions
S o m e e x p e r i e n c e in s u p e r v i s i n g others in r e t r e a t - g i v i n g a n d in spiritual direction h a s s h o w n m e that the focus m u s t be m a i n l y on the p e r s o n b e i n g s u p e r v i s e d , r a t h e r t h a n on the client to w h o m the r e t r e a t or direction is b e i n g given. T h e m o d e l with which supervisees m a y b e g i n is t h a t since two h e a d s are b e t t e r t h a n one, fresh ideas on the" c l i e n t ' s p r o b l e m s will e m e r g e if the s u p e r v i s e e c a n tell the s u p e r v i s o r w h a t is g o i n g on in the client. But soon the focus shifts b a c k f r o m client to s u p e r v i s e e : his r e a c t i o n s , d e f e n c e s , fears, c o m p u l s i o n s , etc., W h e n these a r e faced a n d clarified, w h e n distor- tions in his u n d e r s t a n d i n g are corrected, to that extent the supervisee is freed to help the c l i e n t ? T h u s , while the m a i n focus in this article is on giving the exercise on hell to r e t r e a t a n t s , I invite the r e a d e r to p o n d e r his o w n stance r e g a r d i n g hell. O n e m i g h t ask oneself: W h a t
68 P R E S E N T I N G T H E F I R S T W E E K
am I h o p i n g for in r e a d i n g this article? W h e n did I last p r a y a b o u t it? Is it a n o p e r a t i v e influence in m y relationship with G o d ? W h y are these very questions irritating me now?
I f I n e v e r p r a y a b o u t hell, if it has no living space in m y h e a r t a n d in no significant way colours m y attitude to life, t h e n for reasons of personal integrity, I should be slow to propose it to a n o t h e r . I invite you, then, to u n d e r t a k e the same self-questioning as I was r e q u i r e d to u n d e r t a k e in p r e p a r i n g this article. I hope the l a b o u r is suitably r e w a r d e d ; it is close to the m e t h o d o l o g y of the Exercises themselves: Ignatius invited others to go t h r o u g h what he h i m s e l f e x p e r i e n c e d .
F o r c e d to' e x a m i n e m y o w n a p p r o a c h , I f o u n d first in m y s e l f a reluctance to consider the question of hell: it was painful to think of the eternal loss of a n y o n e , even of the most ruthless e n e m y of h u m a n i t y in the past or present. William D a l t o n m a k e s m u c h of this sense of pain at a n o t h e r ' s loss as an a r g u m e n t for the salvation of all m a n k i n d . 4 H o w e v e r that m a y be, it seems that t o d a y ' s C h r i s t i a n differs widely in this respect f r o m the Christians of a n early g e n e r a t i o n w h o could rejoice in the t o r m e n t of their enemies in hell. 5 Secondly, if r e l u c t a n t to consider the loss o f others, I f o u n d it nearly impossible to face the possibility of m y own. F r e u d r e m a r k e d in Our attitude towards death, written d u r i n g the first world war, that it is impossible to i m a g i n e o u r o w n death, 6 a n d this m a y be true in r e g a r d to o u r o w n d a m n a t i o n - - the fifth exercise of Ignatius invites me to consider the eternal t o r m e n t s of others, not m y own.
T h i r d l y , the theological p r o b l e m s r e g a r d i n g hell s e e m e d so baffling tha~/it felt b e t t e r to me to let sleeping dogs lie. T h e doctrine on hell isdifficult: as Lessius r e m a r k e d long ago, it is one o f the four most difficult truths of the catholic faith. It is also a s t u m b l i n g block to m a n y good persons w h e t h e r within or outside the christian C h u r c h . A n d it is so out of fashion! H a n s U r s v o n B a l t h a s a r n o t e d in 1958 that the last serious book on hell was certainly m o r e t h a n h a l f a c e n t u r y old, 7 a n d the situation has h a r d l y c h a n g e d since then. So true is this that a score of years later the V a t i c a n f o u n d it necessary to r e m i n d the bishops o f the world of the n e e d to keep eschatological truths in their integrity before the m i n d s of the faithful, b e c a u s e of w i d e s p r e a d doubt: the doctrine of hell is included. 8 It is h a r d l y evident that this e x h o r t a t i o n h a d an e n l i v e n i n g pastoral impact: the l i b e r a l - m i n d e d c o n t i n u e to rejoice that yet one m o r e m y t h has bitten the dust, while the m o r e c o n s e r v a t i v e take h e a r t a n d c o m f o r t , b u t falsely, in surveys that show that m a y Catholics still believe in hell2 A not too n u m e r o u s m i d d l e sees the d i l e m m a a n d feels i m p a l e d on
G I V I N G T H E E X E R C I S E O N H E L L 69 its horns: how can one fail to r e m i n d the faithful a b o u t hell, since it is p a r t o f the faith, b u t h o w can one b r o a c h it, since it is almost i n e v i t a b l y m i s u n d e r s t o o d ?
T h e t e m p t a t i o n , as I f o u n d , is to acquiesce in the eclipse of the doctrine; b u t this it c a n n o t be right to do. D o c t r i n e s are to be respected, not eliminated. C h r i s t i a n i t y has an i n n e r c o h e r e n c e a n d beauty; omit one central c o m p o n e n t a n d there results the fragmenta- tion o f its m e a n i n g a n d splendour. T h e w o r k of J e s u s is u l t i m a t e l y v o i d o f m e a n i n g a n d necessity if the possibility of eternal s e p a r a t i o n f r o m G o d does not exist. T h e axial text in St J o h n - - G o d so loved the world, etc. (3,16) - - infers that m a n k i n d w o u l d indeed be lost except for the i n t e r v e n t i o n o f the Son: ' T h e q u e s t i o n o f Christ m a y be resolved only in belief a n d eternal life or in rejection a n d destruction: t h e r e is no third a l t e r n a t i v e ' . ~° H o w that m a y be, we m a y not u n d e r s t a n d ; b u t that it is so, we m u s t believe, a n d b y d o i n g so we m a y h o p e to m o v e to some limited but fruitful u n d e r s t a n d i n g . H
• It is a c o m m o n p l a c e a m o n g retreat-givers that the First W e e k is the most difficult; p a r t l y the reason is that so m a n y f u n d a m e n t a l theological issues c o m e into p l a y - the p r i m a c y o f G o d , his majesty, his rights, his plans, his will; on m a n ' s side, the reality of sin which leads to the d e a t h o f the b o d y a n d of the soul; m a n ' s hope- lessness, left to himself, a n d his e x p e r i e n c e of the a n g e r o f G o d ; his absolute n e e d o f salvation, a n d finally, the e v e n t that links all these truths, the merciful i n t e r v e n t i o n o f the Son so that we m i g h t not perish b u t h a v e e t e r n a l life. Hell a n d d a m n a t i o n c a n n o t be grasped except in an u n b r e a k a b l e cluster of interlocking truths, o f which n o n e is facile, b u t all are rich.
Attitudes r e q u i r e d , therefore, in p r o c e e d i n g f u r t h e r r e g a r d i n g hell would include a willingness to u n d e r t a k e a fairly serious exami- n a t i o n of a n u m b e r o f c o n n e c t e d issues; a desire to respect m y s t e r y r a t h e r t h a n to dismiss it or force it into a logical straitjacket; ~2 a belief that ways c a n a n d m u s t be f o u n d to p r e s e n t the m y s t e r y in a pastorally c o n s t r u c t i v e m a n n e r , a n d finally, a readiness to p r a y a b o u t hell a n d d a m n a t i o n - which the p r e s e n t w r i t e r h a d long neglected to d o - asking G o d to reveal its m e a n i n g , which, as J u l i a n o f N o r w i c h d i s c o v e r e d long ago, is love. ~
3. Central problems
At least three central p r o b l e m s can be identified r e g a r d i n g the a c c e p t a n c e into o n e ' s h e a r t of the d o c t r i n e of hell: spiritual dullness, distorted theology a n d a n t h r o p o c e n t r i s m .
7 0 P R E S E N T I N G T H E F I R S T W E E K
Spiritual dullness is d u e to sin: because of sin I a m blind and deaf. T h e doctrines of salvation a n d d a m n a t i o n leave m e limp, the two- edged sword of the W o r d is dulled for me (cf H e b 3,12). It is the role of the retreat to a w a k e n me tO that ' c r y o f w o n d e r , a c c o m p a n i e d by surging e m o t i o n ' (Exx 60) as I pass in review the m e r c y of G o d a n d m y own sinfulness. T h e 'ideal r e t r e a t a n t ' to w h o m we shall refer m o r e fully later, can b e c o m e aware o f the extent o f his o w n spiritual dullness, and recognize it as the fruit of sin, t h r o u g h e x p e r i e n c i n g himself cold, h a r d l y stirred; by the exercise on hell: then he will know how infected he is a n d what he must p r a y for.
Distorted theology adds to the p r o b l e m of spiritual dullness. M u c h remedial work m a y be r e q u i r e d to correct a distorted u n d e r - standing of the doctrine of hell. T h e b o d y of this article will, it is h o p e d , offer clarification which can be used in p r e p a r i n g the exerci- tant so that he has basic theological literacy before b e g i n n i n g - - the retreat itself is not the time for theological refining, as is p o i n t e d out in a n o t h e r article in this issue.
By the p r o b l e m of a n t h r o p o c e n t r i s m I m e a n that t e n d e n c y which we have to m a k e ourselves the centre of o u r worlds. T h i s t e n d e n c y a c t s powerfully to e v a c u a t e the doctrine of hell of all m e a n i n g : all things are j u d g e d by my s t a n d a r d s of what is good a n d right a n d fair. A r e t r e a t a n t said to me, m i d w a y t h r o u g h the First W e e k : 'I suppose I have been r a t h e r i n n o c e n t l y d o i n g m y o w n thing, a n d I guess I should begin to let G o d into m y life a bit more. But I c a n ' t see that G o d has the right to lay down all the laws. W h y should he h a v e the right to j u d g e us?'
T h e p r o b l e m of a n t h r o p o c e n t r i s m or subjectivism, or w h a t e v e r o t h e r t e r m is used to label the reality, is not new: it is a p e r e n n i a l difficulty for us to let go o u r personal views of how things should b e , in o r d e r to h e a r o u r story told from a divine perspective. C. S. Lewis remarks:
I read in a periodical the other day that the fundamental thing is how we think of God. By God Himself, it is not! How God thinks of us is not only more important, but infinitely more important. Indeed, how we think of Him is of no importanc e except in so far as it is related to how He thinks of us.14
M a n y of the roots of this p r o b l e m are good, b u t u n c h e c k e d they go wi~td. D e m o c r a c y is good, a n d a persona~t style of g o v e r n m e n t in religious life is a r e m e d y for past a u t o c r a c y and harshness. Client- centred t h e r a p y is good, as is the emphasis in the Exercises on
G I V I N G T H E E X E R C I S E O N H E L L 71 heeding subjective feelings and reactions; so too is the shift in moral theology which takes due account of conscience ( ' H o w did you feel about what you did?'). The desire of men everywhere to become subjects of their own history, determining their own destinies, is one of the mainsprings of liberation movements. Process theology rightly questions the notion of God as the Unmoved Mover, and seeks to emphasize the role of m a n acting with God in the shaping of h u m a n and divine history. And so forth.
This shift to man as subject has done immense good and unblocked much frustrated h u m a n potentiality. The edge of darkness appears when the objective order is called into doubt. Examples: the over-use of the personal style of religious government can lead to a fear of commanding and of sending persons on mission: the common good can become of less account than my own: that God could have a will of his own, and that this might be more important than my p r e f e r e n c e s - this can become obscure and irrelevant to me, so that I am shocked by Paul's statement, 'Every act done in bad faith is a sin' ( R o m 14,23), and I find Jesus's attitude - - 'I always do what pleases him' (the Father) (Jn 8,29) to be worlds away from my own. The ignatian reverence ~~ (acatamiento),
expressed in his favourite term 'the Divine Majesty' is available only to a heart that is more concerned about God than about itself.
There is an objective order: the Spirit of truth and of consolation has a message for the Churches about sin and justice and j u d g m e n t (Jn 16,8). In the 'reality orientation' of which W. W. Meissner speaks in his Psychological notes on the Spiritual Exercises j6 faith is asked today to play a vastly more demanding role than it was in the sixteenth century: if the problem of anthropocentrism is not faced, the retreatant will limp through the First Week. In the 'disposition days' after inviting reflection on the exercitant's image of God, it might be well to invite him to reflect on God's image of him. Then he might consider honestly whether he has any sense of need o.f salvation, for contemporary man does not easily see how it is that his well-being, his salvation, must be rooted in Christ. E. Schillebeeckx, in the introduction to his m a m m o t h work J e s u s - - an experiment in christology ~7 describes how the religious concept of 'salvation' is whittled down in our day, and how meaningless can sound the thesis, accepted by all in the sixteenth century, that Jesus Christ is the redeemer of the world. Remedial work, through discussion, reading and prayer, may be required before the retreat, and certainly before the fifth exercise.
72 P R E S E N T I N G T H E F I R S T W E E K 4. History of the doctrine
I offer here the sketchiest of reviews of the history of the doctrine on hell in christian tradition, in order to help situate the present discussion.
Jesus's views on hell are summarized in the various commentaries. 18 He perceived in a unique m a n n e r the greatness of the Father, and how sin and evil betrayed the Father's love. His spiiZitual nerves were sensitive to the possible tragedy of man's eternal loss to a degree from which we are shielded by those thick layers of ignorance and rationalization which we develop to protect ourselves. ~ So he preached metanoia witti passionate u r g e n c y , and for our sakes 'became sin' and allowed the full scope of evil to engulf him, even to the abandonment by the Father on the cross, which is the final effect of sin. 2° He intended that thus we might be shocked into realizing what sin means to God and what its consequences are for us who commit it. The first gift of the resurrected Lord is the Holy Spirit, for the forgiveness of sin, and the resurrection itself is the Father's sign of approval of the m a n n e r of life of the Soni a life given over to the Father in unconditional obedience and surrender, the antithesis of the way of life of the first Adam. Mankind is to follow that pattern of life, and is empowered to do so by the Spirit, in order to share in the resurrection from the dead. Thus the power of sin, and of the first (physical) and the second (spiritual) death are overcome.
The apostolic Church held in tension two contrasting views of the final destiny of man. One speaks of judgment, damnation and eternal pain for part of mankind: the classical expression is the j u d g m e n t in Matthew 25. The other gives strong encouragement to the hope that all people, despite their evil ways, will finally be saved: this view is given in J o h n , e.g. 'I shall draw all men to myself' (12,32) and frequently in Paul, 2~ but most dramatically in Romans 9-11 in regard to the final salvation of the Jews. But there is no smooth transition from the fearful picture painted by the pre- resurrected Jesus to the triumphant view based on his resurrection and exaltation, for w h i l e P a u l is optimistic about the outcome of h u m a n history, the author of 1 Peter believes in a division of mankind into saved and d a m n e d as does the author of Revelation.
The Middle Ages
Which view predominated in later history is clear: 'Irt the official theology of the West, since Augustine at the latest, unlimited hope finds itself shackled by the certitude that a certain number of people
G I V I N G T H E E X E R C I S E O N H E L L 73 will be d a m n e d ' . 22 T h e r e c e n t l y - d i s c a r d e d s e q u e n c e for the M a s s for the d e a d , the Dies irae 23 sums up an attitude r e g a r d i n g j u d g m e n t d a y which has prevailed f r o m the fifth c e n t u r y to o u r own, a n d is still with m a n y of us: hell is a n o p e n possibility till the v e r y end; m a n y will surely be lost; C h r i s t ' s victory will be only partial.
F o r D a n t e , heir of a long tradition, hell will be well p o p u l a t e d ; e v e r y sinner will be p u n i s h e d a c c o r d i n g to his specific crimes. So too the artists of the early a n d later M i d d l e Ages delighted in p o r t r a y i n g the Last J u d g m e n t a n d the division of m a n k i n d into saved a n d lost.24 T h e a u t h o r o f the Spiritual Exercises was a m a n o f his times: the fifth exercise m a y be t a k e n as an expression o f his own view, which we m a y s u m m a r i z e as follows:
There are souls in hell, some because they did not believe in the coming of Christ, others because, while believing, they did not work according to his commands. Many have been damned for one mortal sin:I deserve eternal damnation for my many sins, for I have acted so often against infinite goodness. But God in his mercy has spared me, so let me amend my life.
F o r a m a s t e r l y christological t r e a t m e n t of I g n a t i u s ' s a p p r o a c h in the Exercises, H u g o R a h n e r r e m a i n s u n s u r p a s s e d : he calls hell the ' e s c h a t o l o g y o f sin' a n d notes that in E x x 52, w h e n speaking o f s o m e o n e going to hell for one m o r t a l sin, Ignatius adds to the vulgate the word forte (perhaps). 25
It is instructive to c o m p a r e Ignatius with X a v i e r : for the latter, hell was not m e r e l y a possibility b u t a reality for m a n y . H e w a r n s his b r e t h r e n r e p e a t e d l y a b o u t the m a n y priests a n d p r e a c h e r s who were indeed i n s t r u m e n t s for the salvation of others, yet w e n t to hell because they a t t r i b u t e d to themselves what was of G o d . z6 O n the v e x e d q u e s t i o n of the salvation of unbelievers, X a v i e r held that the law of n a t u r e is written in the hearts o f all, a n d by o b e y i n g it a m a n can be saved; yet he believed that vast n u m b e r s of infidels were in hell t h r o u g h their own fault, 27 a n d this belief fired his m i s s i o n a r y zeal.
Let Ignatius a n d X a v i e r act as spokesmen for the sixteenth c e n t u r y a n d C a r d i n a l N e w m a n for the n i n e t e e n t h . T h e latter wrote his Apologia in 1864: o p e n i n g his a c c o u n t of his religious opinions he states that f r o m 1816 on (he was fifteen then):
I have given a full inward assent and belief to the doctrine of eternal punishment, as delivered by Our Lord Himself, in as true a sense as I hold that of eternal happiness; though I have tried in various ways to make that truth less terrible to the reason.2a
74 P R E S E N T I N G THE FIRST WEEK
H e was not an optimist a b o u t the salvation of all people. 2,) In o u r own c e n t u r y , J o s e p h R i c k a b y will serve as a c a r r i e r for that t r a d i t i o n which w o u l d seem ' t o speak with a v e r y faltering voice on the victory of good o v e r the p o w e r of evil'.3° A n d So we c o m e to V a t i c a n II. But before d o i n g so, it is consoling to note a c o m m e n t o f H a n s U r s von Balthasar:
• . . it is significant that, from the Middle Ages up to the m o d e r n epoch, a whole series of w o m e n saints have silently protested against this masculine theology (the certitude of d a m n a t i o n for some), and, b e i n g strong in their heartfelt boldness a n d h a v i n g a direct access to the mystery of salvation, they have expressed a boundless hope . . . . But the theology of w o m e n has never been taken seriously n o r integrated by the establishmenL ~t
Vatican I I
V a t i c a n II is silent a b o u t hell: it expresses o p t i m i s m a b o u t the salvation of m a n k i n d . T h e r e is in The Church in the modern world a sense of c o r p o r a t e destiny, a belief that C h r i s t ' s victory will be total, so that at the end, G o d will be all in all. 32 S o m e will b l a m e what they t e r m 'this o v e r - o p t i m i s m ' on T e i l h a r d de C h a r d i n , b u t this is u n f a i r both to the C o u n c i l , as the c o m m e n t a r i e s show, 33 a n d to T e i l h a r d who at the close o f the Milieu divin affirms his belief in the existence of hell, on the w o r d of G o d , as a structural e l e m e n t in the universe. W h e t h e r or not it be i n h a b i t e d , he will not ask. R a t h e r , its possibility adds u r g e n c y to life. 34
W h e n c e this n e w - f o u n d optimism in the Catholic C h u r c h regarding the salvation of all? It was inspired by a g r o w i n g appreciation of the i n t e r d e p e n d e n c e of mankind: a global perspective gives rise to a sense of c o m m o n destiny. But if we are in solidarity, it must be towards a glorious c o n s u m m a t i o n of world history, else the work of creation a n d r e d e m p t i o n is a cosmic failure. In V a t i c a n II the C h u r c h identified herself as n e v e r before with the world: she is a sign of Salvation to all. All m e n can be saved, even outside the C h u r c h : not only the history of the C h u r c h b u t the history of the world is 'salvation history' in the sense that G o d works his saving plans in all times and places a n d events.3a
A n o t h e r factor p o w e r f u l l y influencing the C h u r c h in h e r o p t i m i s m was the discovery of t r u e r principles of interpretation of eschatological s t a t e m e n t s t h a n she h a d to h a n d before. T h i s is a vast topic; 36 for o u r p u q ~ e s it mill suffice t~ a~te t ' ~ sucb~ I~i~cip~es. First, e s c k a t ~ g i c a ~
s t a t e m e n t s are to be i n t e r p r e t e d symbolically r a t h e r t h a n literally - - the language refers to realities which c a n n o t be a d e q u a t e l y expressed.
G I V I N G T H E E X E R C I S E O N H E L L 7 5
Thus ' G o d as judge will condemn the sinner to everlasting torments, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth' contains a set of images which are not to be taken literally but as referring to the reality of the alienation of a man, by free choice, from him who alone could give meaning to his life.
Secondly, the statements of Jesus, taken by earlier generations as indications of future eschatological realities, are better seen as dramatic warnings than as 'advance coverage'. Thus 'the goats
will
go away to eternal punishment' can be understood as a warning cry from h i m who in all he said and did, including his threats and his anger, intended our salvation. 37 In the light of such new under- standing, it was possible to look again at the dogma of hell: the magisterium had proceeded, as always, more soberly and cautiously than the preacher, and though it would have been easy to do so, the Church had never defined that hell is populated, and so had instinc- tively avoided taking literally Jesus's statements regarding a final division of mankind into saved and lost. 38 She did, however, condemn
apokatastasis,
the theory attributed to Origefi according to which even the d a m n e d will finally be saved. ~9There also emerged, in time for the Council, studies on the resur- rection of Christ such as F. X. Durrwell's. The passion of the Lord h a d long eclipsed his resurrection; now the victory of Christ over evil began to assume its rightful place in the mind of the Church. The emphasis in the scriptures on the salvation of
all
came into focus. And so the Council's hope (it is not a statement ofcertainty)
is firmly gounded, and it invites us to an energetic involvement in the community of mankind so that at the end there may indeed be a final community of love, from which none are excluded.Has the Church changed her mind about hell? Not an easy question: she has always adhered to the doctrine in its essence, but her inter- pretation of its consequences had modified through the centuries. The sober pronouncements of the magisterium were compensated for by the exuberant imaginings of theologians and preachers and artists, and these were not without basis i n the New Testament, literally interpreted. Over-kill is the bane of eschatology: theologians and preachers are perhaps humbler now in depicting the life to come, and the Church explicitly invites this attitude. 4°
5:
The contemporary catholic view
What, the reader may wearily ask, is acceptable catholic teaching about hell? Let us turn to K. R a h n e r ' s
Concise theological dictionary:
76 P R E S E N T I N G T H E F I R S T W E E K
T h e dogma on hell means that h u m a n life is threatened by the real possibility of eternal shipwreck, because man freely disposes of himself and can therefore freely refuse himself to God. Jesus directly states this possibility when he warns of the consequences of arbitrary and obstinate self-closure (lack of love, on which we shall be judged) in imagery which was current at that time. H e proclaims the seriousness of one's present situation and the significance of human history, whose fruits are taken as m a n ' s own work, thus rejecting all trivializing and all superficial views of the relationship between man and God . . . . Whether and how far man does in fact avail himself of his power to reject God; revelation does not inform us, nor has the magisterium made any pronouncement on the question. Such information, indeed, would be inconsistent with the purpose of the doctrine of hell, which is not to provide abstract data or to satisfy our curiosity but to bring us to our senses and to conversion. Without seeing how they can be reconciled, we must confess the two doctrines: the omnipotence of God who wills all men to be saved, and the possibility of eternal perdition. 4~
S o m e c o m m e n t s : T h e position stated a b o v e - t h a t hell h a s the reality of possibility b u t not n e c e s s a r i l y t h a t of actuality - - avoids the s t u m b l i n g block c a u s e d b y s u p p o s i n g t h a t G o d has c r e a t e d hell a n d t o r m e n t for m a n , u s i n g for the p u r p o s e all the i m a g i n a t i o n a n d i n g e n u i t y which he d e m o n s t r a t e s in the m a k i n g of this p r e s e n t w o r l d ? 2 I f hell w e r e to b e c o m e a n a c t u a l i t y for a n y m a n , G o d n e e d do no m o r e t h a n p r e s e r v e in existence a m a n w h o h a d refused for e v e r w h a t he a n d all are m a d e for, that is, the F a t h e r giving e t e r n a l life a n d j o y to m a n t h r o u g h C h r i s t . W h e n y o u do not h a v e w h a t y o u are m a d e for, a n d c a n n e v e r h a v e it, a n d it is y o u r o w n d e l i b e r a t e choice a n d y o u k n o w it to be such; w h e n y o u a r e not r e a d y for divine friendship, a n d are out of h a r m o n y with all being, a n d the t i m e for c h a n g e is past, y o u a r e t h e n in t h a t state of a l i e n a t i o n a n d totally f r u s t r a t e d existence which is t e r m e d hell.
6. Problems and alternatives
T h e d o c t r i n e as p r o p o s e d in the p r e c e d i n g section is inimical in a n u m b e r of w a y s to the a n t h r o p o c e n t r i c stance o u t l i n e d earlier, a n d it is well for the guide to be a w a r e o f the p r o b l e m s a n d the evasions which in all good faith a n d ' p o s s i b l y sincere p r i d e '43 the r e t r e a t a n t m a y a t t e m p t .
E x a m p l e s : Is the goal of m y b e i n g d e t e r m i n e d b y m e or b y G o d ? M u s t m y choices be a c c o r d i n g to his will, a n d if so, w h y ? W h e r e is m y f r e e d o m ? G r a n t i n g t h a t G o d is b e y o n d m a n i p u l a t i o n or exploita-
G I V I N G T H E E X E R C I S E O N H E L L 77 tion - - t h o u g h I work h a r d to ' b r i n g G o d to what I desire' in m a n y of m y choices 4 4 - c a n n o t G o d a n d I simply 'live a n d let live' in peaceful co-existence? Is m y situation truly hopeless a n d b a n k r u p t without G o d ? M e n devise satisfactory modes of existence here below with little r e f e r e n c e to G o d : w h y c a n n o t this be so h e r e a f t e r ? S u r e l y we c a n n o t lose infinite j o y t h r o u g h finite choices b a d l y m a d e , b u t m a d e in i g n o r a n c e ? All choices are reversible n o w a d a y s - - m a r r i a g e , priesthood, etc. - - so w h y be so sure that the state in which I find m y s e l f at d e a t h is non-reversible? O r , if G o d is good, surely he brings m y life to a close only w h e n m y orientation is good? A n d so forth.
N o t only are there serious p r o b l e m s which arise s p o n t a n e o u s l y from o u r o w n subjectivity, b u t there are well-argued alternatives p r o p o s e d b y theologians. T h e V a t i c a n l e t t e r a l r e a d y cited is d e e p l y c o n c e r n e d a b o u t speculations which call eschatological truths into question a n d t h e r e b y w e a k e n the faith o f the C h u r c h . T h e q u e s t i o n of course arises: how shall o n e d e t e r m i n e the truth? All I i n t e n d to do here is to c o m m e n t briefly, a n d critically, on some positions which seem i n a d e q u a t e l y to respect the real possibility o f hell, that is, its possibility from a h u m a n point of view - - we do not have access to the divine point of view, except in so far as it is given us in revelation, t h r o u g h scripture, tradition a n d the teaching of the C h u r c h .
Annihilation proposes that those f o u n d u n w o r t h y to e n t e r eternal life are simply wiped out: they cease to exist, a n d therefore hell does not exist, in actuality n o r possibility. T h e t h e o r y has its attractive- ness, a n d is m e n t i o n e d s y m p a t h e t i c a l l y b y J o h n Shea in What a modern Catholic believes about heaven and hell. ~5 A r g u m e n t s against it include the view that on this account, it is the blessed who suffer in eternity, l a m e n t i n g the fate of those they loved w h o no longer exist. M o r e seriously, it denies the t e a c h i n g of the C h u r c h .
Universalism says that since G o d is p u r e a n d o m n i p o t e n t love, he m u s t save. all people. Hell is not a real possibilitY: history must e n d in the salvation o f all: let us t h e n cease to p r o v o k e fear b y speaking of the possibility of eternal loss. W. D a l t o n seems to .tend to this view, as d o J . A. T . R o b i n s o n a n d m a n y others. 46 T h e i r a r g u m e n t s help to h i g h l i g h t the saving work of G o d in Christ, his victory o v e r sin a n d evil in the r e s u r r e c t i o n , etc., b u t if it is true t h a t G o d will save all people, hell ceases to exist as a possibility.
Final option proposes that o n l y in the m o m e n t , o f d e a t h can we choose or reject G o d definitively. T h e r e m u s t be this last chance, since p r i o r to d e a t h o u r k n o w i n g a n d willing are c o n c e r n e d with finite things: in d e a t h we see G o d face to face, a n d o u r wills can
78 P R E S E N T I N G T H E F I R S T WEEK
then, and then only, fully choose for or against him. L. Boros elaborates this theory well and his arguments are suasive to many. ~7 The theory, however, has no basis in revelation and trivializes all present choices. Hell as possibility becomes devoid of meaning, for who would not choose God in the end?
Process theology
by its general approach tends to question the priority of God's plans and decisions over man's. In the limit case, man defines his own meaning over against God: the victory of Jesus over evil loses its meaning, and God, in so far as his love is rejected, becomes the unfulfilled one - - presumably eternally so. 48 Given its questionable starting points, it is not surprising that process theology Comes to conclusions more awry than the imbalances it seeks to correct.7. Giving the fifth exercise
The exercise on hell is for the robust, or, dare I say, ideal re- treatant: one who verifies Anns. 5 and 20, in that he comes with great openness and desire for God. Basic trust, such as founds a healthy self-image, is present. For this exercitant, the disposition days will have gone well, the Principle and Foundation will have been acknowledged. He will have touched on, without evasion or flinching, the concrete possibility of eternal loss of others (Exx 48,50,52), and will have immersed himself in the colloquy with Jesus on the cross. He identifies easily with the sinners in the gospels, and realizes his utter helplessness without a Saviour.
Experience seems to show that for less robust persons the fifth exercise is unhelpful, basically because it calls into serious doubt the unconditional love of God for them, instead of reinforcing it, which is the whole point: such persons cannot take the exercise seriously, or if they do, they cannot place it within the Context of divine mercy, and there follow despair, misery, fear which paralyse rather than liberate. M a n y good but damaged persons come to make the Exercises: for them the giver must be able to scale down the full Exercises to their capacity - - intelligent flexibility is understood by Ignatius to be essential in the giver.
There is perhaps a third class of exercitant to be considered: the robust but insensitive person who finds it hard to see the point of the First Week. Fo r him, the shock of the fifth exercise may be very salutary, just as texts such as Ezekie~ 16 can be; but it is not to be given while a person is in desolation, though it may
lead
to temporary desolation, and here the guide needs nerve and sensitivity. ' T h eG I V I N G T H E E X E R C I S E O N H E L L 79 g r a c e (of a sense of a b a n d o n m e n t ) will only be given b e t w e e n two joys . . . within . . . . a n a l l - e m b r a c i n g e x p e r i e n c e o f christian j o y . . . . W i t h i n the fiery darkness . . . there gleams a l i g h t . . . ' . ~ g
T h e grace sought and the colloquy indicate the goal of the exercise; the points are means.. T h e r e is a progression f r o m the second p r e l u d e to the colloquy: the p r e l u d e speaks o f asking for a deep sense o f pain of the d a m n e d (Ignatius does not use the t e r m 'lost'), so that if I forget the love of the eternal L o r d (shown on the cross), fear of eternal p u n i s h m e n t m a y aid me to avoid sinning. T h e colloquy infers that the exercise has led to grateful w o n d e r d u e to a p r o f o u n d realization of G o d ' s m e r c y , etc. T h e exercise m u s t e n d thus: fear of p u n i s h m e n t r e m a i n s , b u t it is t r a n s c e n d e d , e n v e l o p e d in gratitude and h o p e for the f u t u r e , a n d on this alone can the e x e r c i t a n t go on to t h e S e c o n d W e e k .
The points: O n e must not try to defend the literal i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of the points: there is d o g m a t i c s u p p o r t n e i t h e r for the idea that hell is populated n o r that its pains are as described. As in the parables (and most o f J e s u s ' s w a r n i n g s a b o u t hell are in parable), the details add life and colour, a n d thus engage inner and o u t e r senses a n d lead the p e r s o n i n w a r d to the h e a r t of the m y s t e r y . W e p e r h a p s dismiss I g n a t i u s ' s points too quickly as ' o b s o l e t e ' , however: one of m y r e v e r e d colleagues has impressed on me the d r a m a t i c a n d brilliant use which Ignatius makes of the senses in a p p l y i n g t h e m to the absence of G o d . T h i s has to be done t h r o u g h pictures of w h a t is in fact emptiness, nothingness, evil as d e f i n e d by the scholastic - - carentia boni debiti, the absence of a good which should be there. T h e colloquy with Christ on the Cross takes on new m e a n i n g w h e n I h e a r others b l a s p h e m e h i m w h o died to save us: his pain a n d theirs causes pain in me.
T h e r e grows an a l l - e m b r a c i n g sensibility a n d sensitivity to sin: the whole p e r s o n recoils against evil seen both in itself a n d in its effects, j u s t as in the S e c o n d W e e k the application of the senses brings us to
a deep h a r m o n y with the divinity a n d its effects.S°
T h e m e d i t a t i o n , or r a t h e r , c o n t e m p l a t i o n , is t o b e m a d e soberly; its conclusion should be peace as against t r e m b l i n g over what G o d m i g h t do to me. I a m reconciled: I have life a n d hope.
Other approaches: Always p r e s u m i n g that the guide knows the r e t r e a t a n t to be ' r o b u s t ' :
(i) 'Ask G o d to leave y o u for an h o u r . I m a g i n e y o u h e a r him say: " I k n o w you n o t " , a n d that he says it only because y o u h a v e a l r e a d y said it to him by y o u r d e n y i n g the gospel'.
8 0 P R E S E N T I N G T H E F I R S T W E E K
(ii) ' Y o u already know s o m e t h i n g of desolation, that d o w n w a r d spiral into futility and darkness: you know from within what life without G o d is like; pointless, futile, frustrating. Stay with the prodigal s o n in his far country, a n d imagine that situation as p e r m a n e n t a n d hopeless'.
(iii) L i t e r a t u r e uses the concept of hell extensiyely, to refer to the extremes of h u m a n suffering, whether born out of a sense of aliena- tion, as in Sartre, or caused by others, as in Solzhenitsyn? 1 A passage f r o m one or other might be helpful, or better still, the exercitant m a y gel in touch with personal experiences which for h i m were 'sheer hell' a n d then build the second prelude a n d the colloquy a r o u n d them. T h e daily T V news provides endless examples of the desecra- tion o f m a n by m a n in a godless world.
(iv) T h e experience of d e a t h m a y serve: a retreatant who has basic theological literacy m a y have grasped the f u n d a m e n t a l judaeo- christian insight that death is the consequence of sin, in that it expresses eternally that inner self-distancing by the sinner from him who is Life. It is the sentence of d o o m which m a n calls u p o n himself. As E. Schillebeeckx puts it:
The empty existence of the dead is a s it were the wearied-of-life, forced inactivity of a man strung up by his own hand on the gibbet of sin, a besotted sleep without hope of a fresh dawn. Mors aeterna, in other words, a genuine hell. Thus death is the manifestation in a sinful man of God's majesty and holiness and at the same time a mysterium iniqu~tatis of diabolical and human sinfulness, s2
(v) A n o t h e r approach, a n d perhaps the best, is christological. It is the e n g a g e m e n t of the inner senses a n d affectivity on J e s u s as he faces the prospect of m a n uttering his last defiant ' N o ! ' to the offer of divine m e r c y which he himself incarnates. T h e goal of the Exercises is the t r a n s f o r m a t i o n of o u r affectivity: by n a t u r e we prefer riches, h o n o u r , comfort, doing ou'r own will, sexual gratification, etc., to their opposites; 53 h o w then will stronger attachments of a better kind come to m a s t e r these ' i n o r d i n a t e a t t a c h m e n t s ' ? Perhaps by entry into the m i n d a n d heart, the frustrations a n d sadness of the Lord, in his public life a n d centrally in the crucifixion, o u r affectivity m a y be converted, a n d the disaster of sin be recognized. This is simply an extension of the colloquy with Christ on the Cross, with the emphasis on J e s u s ' s inner experiences in being rejected. T h e exerci- tant will be able to refer to his own emotions w h e n rejected by someone he loved a n d risked m u c h for, a n d w h o m he could have
G I V I N G T H E E X E R C I S E O N H E L L 81
helped h a d he been allowed, e.g., a social w o r k e r ' s frustration in c o m i n g with help to a lonely old lady, w h o bars the d o o r a n d chooses to d i e in m i s e r y a n d isolation r a t h e r t h a n acknowledge her need of help a n d risk a relationship of d e p e n d e n c e .
(vi) T h e a n g e r o f G o d is a powerful t h e m e . ' T h e believer must a p p r o a c h the m y s t e r y of G o d ' s a n g e r if he will rightly a p p r o a c h G o d ' s love' .54 In St J o h n 3,36 we are told that the a n g e r of G o d stays on him w h o refuses to believe in the Son. T h e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of M a r t i n i a n d M o l l a t 55 is as follows: refusal o f belief in the Son is a despising of G o d a n d H i s love: the effect in m a n is disintegration, chaos, disfigurement. In G o d the effect is a n g e r at the p r o f a n a t i o n a n d ruin of m a n who is his temple - - 'the temple o f G o d is holy, and that temple you are '(1 C o r 3,17): H e is now shut out from that holy place which is his own, and an idol is set up in his place. T h e exercitant m a y be invited to allow h i m s e l f to e x p e r i e n c e this a n g e r of the G o d w h o loves him; i m m e r s i o n in this a n g e r a n d d i s m a y of G o d m a y startle h i m into an awareness of what he m e a n s to G o d .
( v i i ) J o h n Veltri stresses that the exercise is to centre on the L o r d ' s kindness: the e x e r c i t a n t is b e i n g saved n o w from the possibility of eternal death, f r o m the extension a n d e t e r n a l i z a t i o n of his o w n disorders, one of which he is invited to p o n d e r . 56
Conclusion
'I think hell's a fable', said Faust long ago; a n d so do m a n y Christians today. But M e p h i s t o p h e l e s ' s reply also echoes in o u r hearts: 'Ay, think so still, till e x p e r i e n c e c h a n g e thy m i n d ' , for in o u r c e n t u r y m e n have busied themselves in c r e a t i n g hells for their fellow m e n , a n d are n o w toying with the d e s t r u c t i o n o f the planet itself. T h e solidarity of m a n k i n d for good o r ill is b e i n g b o r n e in on us a n d brings both fear a n d hope: the solidarity of m a n k i n d in the risen a n d victorious Christ gives us christian hope, which is unshake- able because it is rooted in E t e r n a l Love. T h a t love is totally serious a n d also wise: G o d has only one thing in m i n d for us, o u r salvation. Hell is the w a r n i n g cry o f a loving F a t h e r who knows that it is b e t t e r for us to have the edge of fear now t h a n to be lost forever. W e live in hope for ourselves a n d for all m a n k i n d ; that hope lies in G o d a n d not in us: the e x p e r i e n c e of b e i n g s u s p e n d e d a b o v e the e a r t h catches the point. In flying we d e p e n d totally on what holds us up, while we also e x p e r i e n c e the abyss below. 57 W e w a n t to be saved not individually but in the c o m p a n y of all o u r brothers and sisters, a n d so we p r a y for all m e n , a n d that p r a y e r is effective. A n d while we work, even u n t o
82 P R E S E N T I N G T H E F I R S T W E E K
death, for the c o n v e r s i o n of m e n ' s hearts a n d the t r a n s f o r m a t i o n of the distorting s t r u c t u r e s of the world, we s p e a k o f hell b e c a u s e "are are told to: we are s t e w a r d s of the W o r d a n d s e r v a n t s of the mysteries of G o d .
NOTES
1 I am indebted to many colleagues for their help in the preparation of this article.
'2 Rickaby, J.: The Spiritual Exercises of & Ignatius Loyola, Spanish and English with a con-
tinuous commentary (London, 1915), p 43. He belonged to the generation of reireat-givers whose approach to hell is immortalized in Joyce's Portrait.
3 Barry, W. A. and Connolly, W . J . : The practice of spiritual direction (New York, 1982), eh i 1,
'Supervision in Spiritual Direction'.
4, Dalton, W.: Salvation and damnation, n. 41, in Theology Today Series (Dublin, 1977); 'The
Wages of Sin', The Way (July 1975), pp 193-201:
5 For example, Tertullian: 'How shall I admire, how laugh, how exult, when I behold so many proud monarchs groaning in the lower abyss of darkness; so many magistrates, liquel~,'ing in fiercer flames than they ever kindled against the Christians, so many sage philosophers blushing in red-hot fires with their dilated pupils'. Quoted b y J . Shea in What a modern Catholic believes about heaven and hell (Chicago, 1972), p 72.
6 Freud, S.: Complete psychological works (London, 1953-74), vol 14, pp 289-302.
7 yon Balthasar, H. U.: The God question and modern man (New York, 1958), p 120.
a "Letter on Certain Questions Concerning Eschatology', Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (Vatican City, 1979), n. 7.
9 Cffor example the recent poll of U.S. Catholics: 86% of those interviewed said they believe in hell. They name Hitler, Stalin, Judas, as already there, and believe Idi Amin, Hugh Hefner and Richard Nixon will arrive there. 60 % said that, the existence of hell did not affect their moral decisions. The trivializing of hell is complete in our times.
Ia B. Vawter, commenting on this verse in Jerome biblical commentary (New Jersey, 1968); 63,
71. It may be argued that all has been izhanged by the resurrection of Christ, that Jesus did not speak of hell after this event, and that eternal loss is thus no longer possible. That the early Church thought otherwise is the evidence of the New Testament.
11 Cf Lonergan, B. J.: Method in theology (London, 1971), ch 12, 'Doctrines'.
12 yon Bahhasar, H. U.: 'We are not therefore called upon to bring hell and the love of God into logical and systematic harmony, or to make it credible', Love alone: The way of revelation
(London, 1968), p 78.
13 Cf Showings, ed. Colledge, E. and Walsh, j . : Classics of Western Spirituality (New York,
1978), pp 233, 342.
14 The weight of glory (Grand Rapids, 1965), p 10.
15 O'Neill, C. E.: 'Acatamiento- Ignatian reverence in history and contemporary culture', Studies in the spiritualiLy of Jesuits, 8/1 (January 1976).
16 'In the meditations on sin, h e l l . . , an implicit value system is presented for reflection. The christian soul must face the stark realities of its spiritual existence, which constitute the framework within which the consequences of its failure to adapt to the demands of the christian moral code are realized. It is necessary, therefore, for the ego to achieve through faith a certain reality-orientation . . . to the spiritual world. The value system is reflected in God's revealed attitudes towards sin, in the terrible consequences of sin in itself, and as a turning against God', Notes, p 20.
27 SchJ.LLebeeckx, E.. Jesus - - An experiment in christolo~ (London, 1979), pp 19-26.
28 Cf Stanley, D. M. and Brown, R. E.: 'New Testament Eschatology', Jerome biblical commentary 68: 62-92.
G I V I N G T H E E X E R C I S E O N H E L L 8 3
20 For interpretations of Christ's descent into hell cf von Balthasar, H. U.: "Plus loin que la mort '; Maas, W. : "Jusqu 'ou est descendu le Fils; Sanchez-C aro, J. M. : 'Le Mystkre d'une Absence ",
in Communio 6 (January/February 1981), pp 2-34.
In the yon Balthasar Reader (Edinburgh 1982), yon Balthasar suggests that the descent of the Son into abandonment and loneliness is deeper than that to which the sinner can attain. 'Even what we call " h e l l " is, although it is the place of desolation, always still a Christological place', p 422.
21 Tit 2,11; 1 Cor 10,33. 15,28; 1 T i m 4,10, etc.
22 yon Balthasar, H. U.: 'The timeliness of Lisieux' Carmelite Studies: Spiritual Direction
(Washington, 1980), p 117.
23 The origins of the Dies irae can be traced to the writings of the sixth-century irish monks, Colum Cille and Columbanus. The individualism of the sequence is disturbing today. In the early centuries the communal dimension of salvation predominated, with Christ's parousia as its pivotal point; the eternal fate of the individual was viewed in an ecclesial context. The Middle Ages brought a shift from the communal to the individual aspect: the focus was set on the moment of death on which hinged m a n ' s eternal destiny, and on individual punishment in purgatory; the social events of the parousia and the resurrection became appendages. Vatican II, as we shall see, tries to restore the true perspective. Cf Neuner-Dnpuis: The christian faith (Dublin, 1976), ch 23. For purgatory as a social event, see Grogan, B.: ' P u r g a t o r y ' , Faith today, n 44 (Dominican Publications, Dublin, 1978).
24 See for example Mille, E.: Thegothic image (New York, 1958), ch 6. 25 Rahner, H.: Ignatius the theologian (London, 1968), p 90 and footnote 54.
26 Cf Schurhammer, G.: Francis Xavier, vol 4 (Jesuit Historical Institute, 1982), pp 87, 539.
27 Ibid., 506, 289, 446, 235 and footnote 101.
28Apologia, part 3 (London, 1959), pp 99-100.
29 Cf Rickaby, J . : Index to the works ofJ. H. Newman (London, 1914), s.v. The Few and the Many; Hell; Salvation.
30 Dalton, W.: ' T h e Wages of Sin', The Way (July 1975 ), p 193.
31 yon Balthasar, H. U.: 'The timeliness of Lisieux', p 117. There were exceptions! 32 Vatican II: The Church in the modern world, nn 12-32.
33 For example, Vorgrimler, H., ed.: Commentary on the Documents of Vatican H, vol 5 (New York, 1969):
34Milieu divih"(London, 1964), pp 146-49.
35 E. Schillebeeckx's third volume (after Jesus and Christ) will explore this theme.
:~6 Cf Rahner, K. : ' T h e Hermeneutics of Eschatological Assertions' Theological investigations 4
(London, 1966), pp 322-54; Salvation and damnation, ch. 3; Simpson, M.: Death andeternal life,
n 42, in Theology Today Series (Cork, 1971), ch 5.
3! T h e parables are not intended as previews or 'trailers' of future events.
38 For the dogmatic statements of the magisterium on hell, cf Denzinger, 31 st ed., nn 16, 40, 211, 429, 464, 531, 714. It is found both in Creeds and Councils.
39 Cf Lexicon fftr Theologie und Kirche s.v. apokatastasis.
4o Cf Vatican Letter on Eschatology already cited.
41 Rahner, K.: Concise theological dictionary (London, 1965), pp 210-02.
42 Fire is not part of the dogma on hell, though the contrary view has had powerful advocates, including Thomasl Aquinas; cf Michel, A.: "Feu de l'enfer', Dictionnaire de theologie catholique,
vol 5. Yet a being in total disharmony with the universe would suffer in every way. 43 'A m a n who in his possibly sincere pride cannot acknowledge the fact of his own sinfulness, a m a n who abolishes the awareness of sin from human experience, cannot see any sense in death', Schillebeeckx, E. : ' T h e Death of a Christian', in Vatican II." A struggle of minds (Dublin,
1963), p 68. 44 Exx 169.
45 Shea, J . : op. cir., pp 73-74; Simpson, M.: op. cir., p 80; Dalton, W. : Salvation and damnation,
84 P R E S E N T I N G T H E F I R S T W E E K
46 Dalton, W.: op. cir., allows hell to be at most an 'abstract possibility' on p 82. In 'The
wages of sin' he sympathizes with 'the christian instinct of many believers, particularly' thoughtful and sensitive young persons, who want to live their christian faith to the full. For many of these, the older understanding of hell, even in its mitigated form, is a non-doctrine. This is not necessarily a watering-down of the severe demands of revelation. It could well be a consequence of discovering the gospel as unconditional good news, the basis of celebration and joy even in the murk of h u m a n pain and sinfulness'. The Way (July 1975), p 200.
47 The mystery of death (London, 1965); Gleason, R. W.: The world to come (New York, 1958);
Schoonenberg, P.: Man andsin (Notre Dame Press, 1965); Nowell, R.: What a modern Catholic believes about death (Chicago, 1972), etc. T h e theory is heavily criticized by various scholars,
such as E. Schillebeeckx in The death of a Christian, pp 78- 82. K. Rahner has often been
wrongly mentioned as a proponent of the final option theory; cf for instance, Segundo, J. L. :
Grace and the human condition (Dublin, 1980), p 168.
411 'The ultimate dimension of the glory of God lies in that activity which creates, in the end, its own passion; in that working, which in the end, destines itself tO waiting . . . . The most glorious activity of God is that he gives to that which he makes power of meaning - - power to mean something to himself, power to be the subject over against himself as the object . . . . In loving (He) exposes himself to be the object no less than the subject of that which happens in the world . . .'. Vanstone, W. H.: The stature of waiting (London, 1982), pp 99-100. The
victory of Jesus over evil, so strongly affirmed in the New Testament, has lost its meaning. For a more comprehensive view of the glory of God, cf H. U. yon Balthasar's seven-volume study, The glory of the Lord Edinburgh, 1982, and the following years).
4u yon Balthasar, H. U.: Engagement with God (London, 1975), p 96.
50 For the summary of the application of the senses in christian tradition and in Ignatius, cf von Balthasar, H . U.: Theglory of the Lord, vol I (Edinburgh, 1982), pp 365-80.
5J Treatments of hell in contemporary literature can be found in von Balthasar, H. U.: The God question, pp 119-42, and in Communio 6 (January/February 1981), pp 56-62.
52 The Death of a Christian, p 69.
53 For a helpful account of the transformation of affectivity through the Exercises, cf Kiely, B.: 'Consolation, desolation, and the changing of symbols', in The Spiritual Exercises in present- day application (CIS, Rome, 1982), pp 123-56.
54 Dictionary of biblical theologT, ed. Leon-Dufour, X. (London, 1973), s.v., Wrath.
55 Martin, C. M. : The ignatian exercises in the light of Stdrohn, eng. tr. Gujarat Sahitya Prakash,
Anand (India, 1981), pp 41-45.
56 Veltri, J. : Orientations H (Guelph, 1981), pp 80-82.
